Chain-stretching machine.



F. H. HOWARD. CHAIN STRETCHING MACHINE.`

APPucATloN man wLY 5. |911.

Patented Dec. 11, 1917.

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lEIltl-lltllt'. 1-1'. liltlhllifhi, 012' READNG, PENNSYLVANIA.,

specification of Letters Patent.

ltldillll-TRETHIMG MACHINE,

Patented Deo. 11, 1917;

` Application filed July 5, 1917. Serial No. 178,670.

`To all tti/om t may concern,

lie it known that l, Frank ll'. ltlowAiiD, a citizen ot the United bltates, residing at heading, inthe county ot lerks and State ot Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful improvements in llhaiirtdtretching lllachines, ot which the following is a specilication.

rl`his invention relates to imiirovements in chain stretching machines and the object ,ot the invention is to facilitate the stretching of chain links to the desired size in such manner that a plurality of links may be stretched at one time instead ot subjecting each link individually to the action ot stretching, as has been done heretofore.

The invention contemplates a machine in which a section comprising a number of links may be stretched to the desired size by means of a drawing or pulling action, and in providing a mold or liorm block provided with receptacles tor each link, so that the chain is not only stretched more rapidly, but in which the enlargement of each link is such that the result is a uniform enlargement ot the links and in which the result is accurate.

".llie invention consists et a machine coinprising a mold, one end of which is adapted to engage one of the links, while a movable pulling block is adapted tor engagement with another link, remote from the one so hist engaged, and means :tor giving the pull ing block the desired movement to stretch the section of chain between the two points so held until each link in said section enters one et the receptacles between the said two points.,

it further object is to provide means tor adjusting` the parts to accommodate dilleru ent size chains, and also to regulate the dis tance ot travel of the pulling member.

'll`lie invention is more il'ully described in the tollowing specilication and clearly illus trated in the accompanying drawing in which:

lEigure 1 is a plan view ot my improved machine.

2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 22 ot Fig. l.

llllie numeral l designates the machine trame, which is provided with a top plate 2. @n the top ot this platel provide a pair of parallel, longitudinal guides 3 and between the guides is located a removable mold or torni block d. This mold is formed with a head 5 adapted to lie between and to be held by the two arms ot a clamp member tl. llhis clamp member is provided with a set screw 7 by means of which the mold block t may be adjusted on the top plate 2. The clamp is provided with one or more guides 7" which move in the lug 8 formed on the under side of the plate 2 and into which lug the screw 7 enters. The mold 4lis also provided with a centrally disposed longitudinal groove 9 and with a series ot oppositely disposed pockets 10 along the edges ot this groove, and these pockets together with the groove are intended to accommodate the links of the chain.

',lhe numeral 11 designates the pulling block, the upper surface of which is also provided with a groove 12, in line with the groove 9 o1 the block 4l, and with an upward extension forming a portion of two link pockets, 13. This pulling block has a depending jaw ll which is pivotallv mouiited at between two lugs 1G on the under side ot the plate 2.

The numeral 17 designates a power shaft, and the letter G designates a train of gears, mounted on the shafts 17, 18 and 19 t'or transmitting rotation to the shaft 19, and on this latter shaft is mounted an eccentric 20 provided with a strap 21 having a rod 22 projecting upward therefrom and carrying a jaw 23, vertically adjustable thereon by means of nuts 24:. To the upper end ot the ]aw 23 is pivotally attached a link 25 pivotally mounted on a lug 26 on the under side of the plate 2.

To the upper end oli the jaw 23 is also pivotally mounted ay pair ot arms 27 the opposite ends ol' which are in turn pivotally mounted at 28 to the jaw member 111 oli' the pulling block l1.

When power is applied through the gears G to the shaft 19, the eccentric 2O will cause the jaw 23 to more vertically and thus pro duce a rocking movement of the pulling block 11, and the adjustment of this pulling block, that is, the starting point ot the pull7 is regulated by means oi the nuts 211.

lWhen the chain section is to be stretched, one of the links is placed in the end pocket A of the mold block 4f and the link at the opposite end of the section is dropped over the pulling block into the pocket 13. The movement of the block 11, around its pivu otal center 15 will draw the chain, stretching each link until it falls into the pocket 10 beneath it, and the return increment of the pulling block will permit the stretched section to be lifted out of the mold and the next adjoining section placed into position.

In the manufacture of clia'iii,tlie linlrsqare made smaller than the desired size, and by .means 0i' my present machine thestretching is done uniformly, accurately andrapidly.

As indicated, the amount of pull re;` quiredis easily obtained, by means of adjusting" the mold block toward or away from the 'pulling' block', which` is accomplished by the; serien/"7Y f v:The moldA block is removable, so that `flia'in's ofV diernt size links may be accom; fiiOdiitl; Y

lt is'4 evident that tliedeyice above described inayfbe made in different sizes,and ,that tlimacliine'inay be' otherwise modified without/departing from the essential featiire of my inventionand do not therefore d'e'sire'to limitmyselfv to theeX'a'c't details of Vctnstrti'ction shown, but,

p What claim and desireto secureby Let- -tfe'rfs Ratent is :-V Y

12. In a" machinel of' tlie character described, 'af frame, a pair of guides, a mold' block adjfustablyl securedfbetweentheguides, a pull- 'ving n'er'nlerI in line With the mold, means on the pulling member for engaging one link Vof av chain and means for adjusting said transmitting a regular" incrementy tok said pulling block;

3L A* cliai'i'istietcliing machine comprising la ifi-aine, a cliain mold3 block adjustably located thereon, a pulling member pivot'ally A mofuntediontlie'fraine, a pair of arms pivotallyj attached t'otlie pulling block, an eccentiic, a carried by the eccentric andy in pivotal connection With the opposite ends `of said arinsL and means for conveying motionA totlieeccentric whereby the movement thereof'iyill? cause thepulling'block to move towardandaway fromthe'chnin mold block. In testimony whereof I aiiiX my signature.

FRANK H. i-ioWii-Rn. 

